Dasan

Dasan

Jeong Yak-yong or Chong Yagyong, often simply known as ‘Dasan’ (茶山, one of his ‘ho’ / pen-names meaning ‘tea mountain’), was a Korean agronomist, philosopher, and poet. He was one of the greatest thinkers in the later Joseon period, wrote highly influential books about philosophy, science and theories of government, held significant administrative positions, and was noted as a poet. He was a close confidant of King Jeongjo and his philosophical position is often identified with the Silhak school, and his concerns are better seen as explorations of Neo-Confucian themes. Jeong was born in Namyangju (then Gwangju), Gyeonggi Province, where he also died. He spent 18 years in exile in Gangjin County, South Jeolla Province, from 1801 until 1818, on account of his membership of the Southerners faction, and also because of his elder brother's Catholic faith. Korean Catholics sometimes claim that Jeong was baptized with the name John Baptist, but there is no documentary proof of this. Jeong Yak-yong came from the Naju Jeong clan. At birth he was given the courtesy title (初字 choja) Gwinong (歸農), and later he was also known by the courtesy names Miyong (美鏞) and Songbu (頌甫)美庸); among his art names were Sa-am (俟菴), Tagong (籜翁), Taesu (苔叟), Jahadoin (紫霞道人), Cheolmasanin (鐵馬山人), Dasan (茶山), Yeoyudang (與猶堂, the name of his house).

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